Many thanks to our founder Alex J. Cavanaugh, we are welcome to release our writing fears into the world and share our encouragement with one another.
The co-hosts today are: co-hosts today are Lee Lowery, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Jennifer Hawes, Cathrina Constantine, and me.
Optional Question: Has a single photo or work of art ever inspired a story? What was it and did you finish it?
I started my first ever novel (unpublished) based on a newspaper photo that I clipped out - it's the image of a young girl/young woman holding an assault rifle in a crowd of people. Her eyes looked more sad and haunted than angry. I wanted to write about her, but not in the real world.
I had student-taught and subbed in a school district that had agreed to 15 minutes of advertising during the school day each day to have tech installed in every classroom and that seriously irked me - it felt like the schools had sold out to the corporations. The image and that idea just kept swirling in my head.
So, I started a novel about a young woman who is adopted by and indentured to a security corporation which provides security for the leadership of the United Traders, a futuristic group that holds the reins of power in the Milky Way. She is indentured to serve in the military-like group because her mother is indebted to her previous employer - who sued her after her lab experiment back-fired - the same experiment that killed the protagonist's father and brother. I heaped a lot of trouble on this girl and then wondered, what if she has another agenda than the one she's been hired to do? What if, in the midst of all of her pain, she's resisted all the brainwashing they've attempted and she is planning on turning the tables on them, but isn't sure she has the power to do so? What is she going to do with her high-powered assault rifle when an angry mob disagrees with the government and she's ordered to fire upon them? What pain haunts her eyes? What will she do with it?
Anyway, it's sort of finished, but it's a mess. I have tried to re-work it several times, but the story hasn't come out the way I wanted to yet. Maybe someday or maybe this is my trunk book. I don't know.
What I am working on now: The Graphic Novel and Prose Mash-up Revision Edition of Anomalies. I like this version best, but it bothers me that I've been working on this story soooo long.
IWSG NEWS AND UPDATES:
Chill Factor by Sandra Brown or The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
I had a flash fiction publication at Every Day Fiction at the end of January. Every Day Fiction is a token paying market and one I would recommend to my fellow short story authors.
To find my story, click here: Flight by Tyrean Martinson
45 comments:
The depth of that story would need a lot of care and good writing. You'll get it.
Congratulations on the short story.
And thanks for co-hosting today!
Congratulations on the publication! And thank you for co-hosting!
That book sounds really good. Get to work on it!
You’re working on a graphic novel mash up?! Awesome. I wonder sometimes if I will ever rework an old idea. I have a few that have stuck with me over the years. Your idea would make a great movie.
Congratulations on the flash fiction!
You're tech story sounds interesting. I love the concept. And I very much enjoyed Flight.
Thanks for co-hosting today.
Congrats on the new project, sound awesome. Hope you work out your kinks. Happy IWSG!
That sounds like a moving picture! I feel like I've read about the "what if" part of writing/inspiration a lot lately, so it was cool to see that that's how you took your initial concept further.
I would be interested in the book when it comes out. Just sayin'
I also enjoyed your story over on Every Day Fiction. I like the sensory details and the compact plot that took a bit of unpacking. I enjoyed having to read it more than once (once I was relieved to find she wasn't going to fling herself off the building) to appreciate some of the deeper aspects of the character.
Well written and I will be following up on reading more of your works. Thanks!
Seems like your story would have a lot of conflict baked into it, which should make it enjoyable to read.
Thanks for co-hosting this month!
Hi,
Sometimes situations happen like what you're talking about with your story and we have to put it on the back shelf and back away from it for a period of time. It doesn't mean that the story is not good. It just needs time to mature within you. Do whatever you need to do and examine your perspective. Maybe, time away from it will give you a new view of it.
Wishing you all the best and thank you very much for co-hosting.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
I gave my manuscript to a professional to critique it. The comments she wrote were cutting and basically said I didn't have what it takes to write that kind of story. I almost tossed it out. Something made me fight for it. The characters, perhaps, urged me on to tell the story. Forbidden was published and has been awarded three medals. So, go back to your story waiting to be finished. Ask the character to tell you her story. She will. Blessings
That sounds like a really cool story. I hope you figure it out one of these days. Sometimes, it takes me years, if not decades, to figure out what a story is supposed to be. But yeah...there's one or two manuscripts in the trunk that will never see the light of day.
Thanks for co-hosting today!
Sounds dark but the story could say a lot of the mental state of people these days.
Thanks for co-hosting. Awesome that your story came from a newspaper picture. But sad there aren't as many newspapers anymore.
Trading tech for advertising. That's a new one for me! On the bright side, it sparked an intriguing story!
Thank you for the head's up about Every Day Fiction, and congratulations on getting a story placed! Your photo and the story it inspired sounds interesting. Thank you, also, for co-hosting this month.
Isn't it fun to make up a story from a photo? Oh, the possibilities, and maybe none true. Congratulations on your flash fiction story.
Your story about the girl with a rifle sounds good, if dark. I'm sure you'll get there.
I read your flash in Every Day Fiction. I'm glad she didn't jump. I half expected it.
I have many a trunk story, but your's sounds like a great read. It may not be the time today, but you never know what tomorrow will bring.
thanks for hosting. I got an error when I tried to open the flash. Hmm....
That story sounds good... especially the twist. I love it when a story tells you to change course as you're writing it...
Sounds powerful. Maybe you'll go back to it again one day. ;-)
Anna from elements of emaginette
Wow, that's some deep stuff. I don't know if I'd have the chops to write about it. Really intriguing though:)
That story sounds AMAZING!! Good luck with it. I'd love to read it when you finish.
-Jennifer from jennifershelby.blog
I think you should give some more time to your book. I see it coming up. Good luck!����
Thanks for co-hosting today, Tyrean! I was a little side-tracked by your school district comment. That possibility floated around our district, and some other districts in our state went for it. It made me so angry, but I was fortunate that I taught in a "wealthy" district, even if my school was one of the poorest. So our district didn't sell out. It's so costly to equip every classroom with technology, especially when school budgets get cut over and over. You would not believe some of the things I put myself through to get technology for my class. Schools shouldn't have to prostitute themselves to get what their students need. Okay, off my soapbox! Don't give up on your story. It's dark, but very cool! Good luck with your current writing projects!
I love that term “Trunk Story” and I hope you work out how to bring it out of the trunk one day. Thanks so much for Co-hosting.
Hi Tyrean - yes I love the description 'trunk story'; however your story idea sounds fun ... and I hope you can finish it one day. Good luck with the rest of the projects - cheers Hilary
Wow that sounds like an amazing story! I hope someday you are able to re-work it but even if not it's wonderful that one photo inspired your imagination that much.
I'm sorry if this turns out to be a duplicate - I got an error message when trying to comment so I'm giving it another shot. :)
That sounds like a really cool concept, and all from a photo!
Thanks for co-hosting.
Congrats and best wishes on your publications! Thanks for sharing your self, your ideas, and for co-hosting this supportive blog site!
Congrats on the publication! I recently placed one with them, too. They're so supportive and kind! I enjoyed your story. @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
That sounds like a fantastic story. I want to read it. When I can't get a story to go right, I've found it helps to set it aside for a bit, work on something else (or read). Then when I come back I see the story with fresh eyes. I hope you pursue this idea. Thanks for co-hosting.
I love the sound of the story that resulted from the clipping. I hope it's published one day. Congratulations on your flash publication.
Congratulations on the flash piece! It's fascinating what can flesh out into a story. Good luck getting that one where you want it.
Thanks for co-hosting this month.
Your story sounds complex and emotional. I hope you're able to pull it together the way you'd like. Sounds like an entertaining read.
Congrats on your flash publication.
I've been collaborating on a graphic novel. Such an exciting change of pace and meeting of minds. Congrats on your new pub. Happy IWSG and thank you for co-hosting!
That story idea sounds fascinating. I love to read about that sort of conflict. Congratulations on your flash-fiction publication!
I like your story idea but maybe the layers are too complex at present. Maybe put it away for a while and come back to the concept.
Good luck!
Congrats with your published story in Every Day Fiction, Tyrean. And, you sure are onto something with the plot of "the girl with the assault riffle", but it seems incredibly difficult to get it all straight, flowing, and figured out. Good luck! And, thank you for co-hosting this month.
Thanks for co-hosting this month!
The story sounds interesting. I’m sure something will come to you that’ll pull it together. Maybe not the way you want it but the story will come together.
Congrats on your publication!
Congratulations on your flash piece! Very cool story you were inspired to write by that image.
Congrats
Thank you for co-hosting the IWSG blog hop this month.
You are the queen of flash fiction!
Congrats on yet another flash publication. It sure won't be the last.
The story about the girl with the rifle is one that I really want to read. I hope you get around to unravelling it so that it sees the light of day.
Thank you for co hosting.
I believe you had me at the word 'indentured'. This sounds like an intriguing premise. Maybe with a little more time you'll be able to work out the timing and kinks of the story.
Post a Comment